History of Redwood Glen

We are almost 50! Stay tuned for details about our 50th anniversary celebrations coming up!

summer staff then

Redwood Glen is a non-profit, church-related camp and conference center owned and operated by the independent Redwood Glen board of directors and created by the grace of God and the hard work of many faithful men and women.

Redwood Glen is a Bay Area Christian camp and conference center located in Loma Mar, CA. Redwood Glen was founded by the Bay Cities Baptist Union (now Growing Healthy Churches[GHC]/American Baptist Churches of the West[ABCW]) in 1958 with the purchase of the property at 1430 Wurr Road. A portion of the funding came from the sale of the Chung Mei Baptist Home for Chinese Boys that completed its ministry in 1954. Baptist missionary Dr. Charles R. Shepherd founded the home by raising funds from the Chinese community in San Francisco.

Since its founding, Redwood Glen has hosted thousands of churches, schools, organizations, and groups for week-long summer camps, weekend retreat and conferences, and day-use events. Over the past 49 years, the facilities have grown with the building of cabins, lodges, meeting spaces and staff housing. In 1995 the Douglas L. Siden Conference Center; a 22-room hotel-style facility was added.

In recent years, Redwood Glen has offered five week-long children and youth summer programmed camps primarily to churches in the Bay Area, 28 weeks of 5-day Science Camp to students from San Joaquin County, and rental facilities for week-long summer camps and weekend retreats for various churches and organizations in the greater Bay Area.

summer staff then

Our current facilities include:

  • 165 beautiful acres nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, only 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean and less than 90 minutes away from San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Our property has large growths of redwood, Douglas fir, and tan oak trees along with Pescadero and Hoffman creeks flowing through our camp grounds.
  • Dormitory-style bunk bed lodging for 165 guests in 4 cabins, 2 lodges, and 1 sleeping area (bunkroom).
  • A 22-room conference center with 44 beds and 20 roll away beds complete with private baths in each room, a meeting room for up to 100 guests, and a private dining room with seating for 55 that serves banquet quality food.
  • A large swimming pool with a new fiberglass liner installed in April 2004. The pool capacity is 150 swimmers.
  • Two kitchens, in Smith Hall and Siden Conference Center, provide high quality food to groups in main camp and/or the conference center. Smith Dining Hall can accommodate up to 220 in the dining hall. By using the outdoor BBQ area, we can provide lunch and dinner for up to 400 guests at one time.
  • Two outdoor chapels for guest use. Chapel in the Woods is located overlooking Hoffman Creek a short walk from Retreat Lodge with seating for 80 guests and a large stage. Sanctuary is near the main campfire area at Indian Point and is nestled in a gentle slope with seating for 40 guests.
  • A large amphitheatre stage with separate band stage and sound booth along with seating for 350 guests. Many groups use this area for outdoor meetings along with the summer drama presentations as part of our Open Houses each summer.
  • Recreational opportunities including an outdoor basketball court with 3 hoops, outdoor sand volleyball court, tetherballs, multi-purpose ball field with backstop, expansive trail system on and off site, horseshoe pits, swimming pool (summer only), archery, some low-ropes course elements, along with various activities at the local beaches and marsh area near Pescadero.

     

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